For Your Best Interests
by Justanothersinger
Summary: In which Chrom talks to a mage alone. And realizes that Frederick had his work cut out for him. Chrom/Insane!mRobin. Part 1 and Prologue to the Puppeteer series.


For Your Best Interests.

A Fire Emblem: Awakening Fanfiction

The first time that Chrom meets him, his robes are dark with blood.

Blood that drips down his face and his sword. Loose, burnt pages and discarded tomes that clutter the ground in front of him.

Along with the corpses of soldiers. Of Risen. Ylissean, Feroxian and Plegian alike.

Chrom is standing a ways away from him, but he looks up. As if he feels the weight of Chrom's stare.

And he smiles.

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The second time they met, he was the one approaching Chrom.

"Aren't you a prince?"

"…I am." Chrom answers. He's wary. The man laughs. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of killing you this afternoon. All I want is to talk to you, that is all."

Chrom doesn't relax, "And why would you want to talk with me?"

"Partly because I'm curious as to why the prince of Ylisse is so far up Plegian territory. Not exactly the best course of action, the king is particularly on edge these days with…ah, yes. The execution of the Exalt of Ylisse due in a few moons."

He knows exactly why Chrom is here. His tone indicates that. He just wants to rile Chrom up some more. Chrom takes a deep breath and pushes his anger down, "That is why I am here."

"I'd thought as much. But there is no use in saving her."

"What?!"

Cold, dark eyes that lack fake laughter.

"There is no use in saving a dead woman walking."

He's taken a fistful of purple robes, pushed the man to the ground before he could come to his senses. Sand flies up in his eyes but he refuses to brush it off and he holds the man's impassive stare.

"Don't ever speak that way of my sister again!"

"What? It is true."

"Damn you-!"

A hand pressed to his throat, the warning crackle of magic. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, prince."

Chrom freezes and that allows the man to push him off and pin _him_ to the ground now.

"I could kill you in at least 15 possible ways right now. Some of them quick, most of them leaving quite a mess. And all of them before you could so much as open your handsome mouth."

The humor is long gone from his voice and the hand moves to allow another to clasp around his throat, squeezing around it. Tight enough to restrict his breathing.

He could barely talk. "You…Robin…stop it!"

It's enough to startle him though. His hands fly to his head, long uncovered by the hood of his cloak.

When Chrom tries to move, he pushes him down again. The warning crackle of thunder magic had increased in strength; it's starting to sting.

"How did you-…ah. Of course. You recruited that thief into your little group of misfits." Robin's tone is venomous, "Ugh. I knew I should have done away with him when I first saw him."

"That thief…wasn't he your friend before?"

"Gaius was useful for a short amount of time. That was all. Friend?" Robin scoffs, "Not likely."

"I suppose not. Friends usually don't try to kill other friends."

Robin throws his head back and laughs. A horrible, empty laugh. "My, Gaius was right. You _are_ sheltered."

"…! Have you been spying on us?!"

"Your meaningless babble amongst your 'friends' is hardly of any interest to me. I'm simply playing along with your wish. You're probably used to that, having things go your way."

"My wish?"

Robin doesn't answer his question. He instead asks a question of his own, "That pegasus rider…the one who trips on empty air. Where is she?"

Chrom felt a surge of unease, "What do you want with Sumia?"

"I don't want anything to do with _her_. I've told you before I wanted to talk to you, right?" Robin leans in, until there's barely any space between them. Until Chrom could feel the warmth of his breath.

"Keep Sumia close to you. At all times. No matter what the situation may be, you will need to work with her in order to survive. And besides, she seems particularly invested in keeping you alive."

"What do you mean?"

"…Looks like she has her work cut out for her." Robin says with a hollow smile, "In any case, that is my advice to you. Take it or not; do as you will. Just remember that here in the real world, choices are much harder to make than in your tall ivory tower. Multiple lives are on the line, not just your precious sister's."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Chrom demands before he could stop himself, "And what exactly makes you think that you know what my life is like?!"

Robin laughs again. It's different from before.

It's almost…

He leans in and brushes his lips against Chrom's, drawing back quickly when the man sputters and starts struggling underneath him. He pins Chrom's arms to the ground and kisses him again and in that kiss, Chrom could feel his frustration. Anger.  
And an odd feeling of hurt.

"I know more about you than you possibly know, _Chrom_."

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End file.
